NELSON JACK THE MAN WHO INVENTED STAGENEERING

Have you ever been to an event and was awed by the stage design? If so, there’s a high possibility that it was designed by Nelson Jack, the acclaimed King of Stage. Primarily self-taught, the fashionable and innovative Jack is a household name in the event and entertainment field, transforming spaces into eight world wonders. He invites Vanessa Obioha into his world and shares his
desire to see an Entertainment Ministry in Nigeria.

Energetic. That’s the aura Nelson Jack exuded as he opened the doors of his home on a recent rainy Saturday afternoon. Except for the flooded street, the neighbourhood in the Lekki area of Lagos boasts beautiful houses and a serene ambience.

Throughout the nearly one-hour encounter, his demeanour did not change. One minute, he is on the phone listening and giving instructions to his employees on how to execute a project, the next minute, he’s in the kitchen, checking in to see what’s cooking. All the while apologising for the distractions. Other times, he gives a tour of his collection, an array of historical artworks. On one shelf sat a sculpture of Zeus’ head; on another is Pisces, the astrological sign. There is also art on Albert Einstein, the man who created the Law of Relativity, and Graham Bell, the telephone inventor. Yet, when he finally settled down for the interview, his attention was undivided. His responses were nimble and detailed as if he was lecturing.

For those familiar with Jack, this burst of energy is not unusual. His PR agent, Bolaji Salami-Ajayi of Buzz and Bants, who facilitated the interview, recalled a recent encounter in Asaba, Delta.
“One minute he was here, the next minute, he was gone, doing something else.”
At 45, Jack is as sprightly as a teenage boy; as such, his ebullience is often mistaken for restiveness. “I have a quick build-up of energy that I need to expend,” he said.

Jack is recognised as the King of Stage in the entertainment and event industry, although he is not a performer. The appellation was bestowed on him for his creativity in transforming spaces into eight world wonders; from lights to sounds, he gives spaces a spectacular touch. This is evident in his home — an aesthetically furnished space with good lighting.

With his knowledge of entertainment technology — a field that is often overlooked and has few players — he’s been able to show exceptionalism. If you have ever been to an event and got mesmerized by the beauty of the stage, there’s a high possibility that Jack designed it. Think of Peak Talent Show, Etisalat Masterbrand campaign, Glenfiddich social events, celebrity blogger Linda Ikeji’s Self-Made seminar. He has also worked with some big names in the event space, like the late Ibidunni Ighodalo, described as an amazing personality. Jack was the brain behind the design and branding of musician Darey’s 2009 ‘UnDAREYted’ album during his time in Storm Records.

Nowadays, his services are always in demand by top brands in the entertainment and banking sectors, government officials, and even embassies such as the United States Embassy. The weekends are the busiest; sometimes, he said, he gets more than six jobs in a day. While most entertainers were shut out of business during the pandemic last year, Jack was still working. He hosted a luxury drive-in concert at the Tafawa Balewa Square that recorded 500 cars in attendance, the first of its kind. The concert had top music artistes like Tiwa Savage, Rema, and Omah Lay.

Having spent close to two decades in the field, Jack needn’t be physically present for his team to deliver a project. With over 100 people working with him in different parts of the country, he can coordinate them through his phone. He showed me pictures of ongoing work with his team and sometimes interrupted our conversation to speak with them on the phone.

“There are very few entertainment technology companies that service this country. The demand is higher than the service providers. Anywhere there is a gathering, amplification is required, and you are talking about all sorts of gatherings: burials, weddings, seminars, concerts, birthdays, anniversaries, AGMs, graduations, rallies, all sorts. So amplification and technology are required. Fortunately for us, we are now invested in entertainment technology, a sector that is overlooked. Entertainment technology is different from event planning. I’m talking about rigs, screens, lights; how many states have these compared to the millions of Nigeria demanding these services,” he explained.
He calls his craft ‘stageneering’ a portmanteau of the words ‘stage’ and ‘engineering’.
“Because it is actually engineering. If you want to build a stage, you must know gravity, displacements, physics.”
Once he steps into a space, his mind and eyes are already on alert, playing out the final look and feel of the place.

“Where would the stage be? Where will it be facing? Where will the audience sit? Where’s the exit in case of an emergency? What’s the height of the venue?” He reeled off a list of things that he considers. Apart from knowing stage design like the back of his palm, he also ensured he got the latest technology design in the space. He gets the equipment he needs to make his job seamless and hardly rents it out.

With his versed knowledge in entertainment and technology, it is interesting to find out that Jack never passed through the walls of a university. After his father’s death when he was barely nine years old, he encountered different obstacles furthering his education. The only certificate he has is a Junior Secondary School certificate. However, that didn’t stop him from discovering and developing his skills.
“I read a lot. I read everything and anything. I got used to self-development. Now it is part and parcel of me. I’m always reading. The quest for knowledge is the quest of wisdom.”
An artist by heart, he taught himself how to use CorelDRAW, Photoshop, and other graphic software. He made a few portraits for some well-heeled clients using his networking skills.

“To survive, I used to make handmade cards, print t-shirts,” he said.
“I remember when I used to design from a cybercafe in Ikoyi. My boy and I discovered a joint Havana where all the big boys go. We will go there, buy a bottle of drink, then chill and network. It was there I learnt that looking good is good business.”

Indeed, Jack is known for his eclectic style, particularly his zippy sunglasses and star ring, which have become his emblem. He has almost a fetish for shoes, and his clothes are always stylish. His dressing gives credence to his regal moniker.

With his struggles climbing the ladder to success, Jack is compassionate about giving opportunities to people, particularly the less privileged. He gave an example of how a young man who started as a cleaner in his company 10 years ago with just N10,000 as salary now heads his screen division and earns over N100,000 on each job he gets.

“I have rehabilitated over 500 people since I officially started this business. I take boys and girls who don’t have skills in this field, and I teach them. I know what it means not to have. My dad didn’t have a house, but I have surpassed him. One of the things that restrict people’s creativity is their mindset. You can’t be creative when you don’t have a roof over your head. So it’s easy for me to relate with them because I know what it’s like not to have. I try as much as I can to make provisions for them.”

Another way he is empowering young minds is through music. Jack’s transition into music came through his work as he had access to music artistes and producers. Earlier this year, he kicked off a music competition, ‘Beat D Beatz’, where participants are to download beats from some of the top music producers in the country like MasterKraft, Rexxie, Young Jonn, Ozedikus, and Benie Macauley. For the debut edition, the contest recorded 12,000 downloads globally, another first.

But his effort is just a drop in the ocean. For Jack, Nigeria can discover more potential through the creation of an Entertainment Ministry. “There needs to be a Ministry of Entertainment in this country, and Nelson Jack needs to head that Ministry for this country to grow,” he said emphatically.

“Our dependency on oil is too much. But if you look at America, their dependency on entertainment is amazing. They make billions of dollars from movies, music, apps, social media; you name it. They understand human metabolism and just run it by entertainment. Nigeria needs to have a Ministry of Entertainment,” he reiterated before continuing. “If you break down the entertainment industry, you will find out that it is bigger than the crude oil, but our leaders don’t know it. It just takes one leader to see the entertainment value of Nigeria.”

The way Jack sees it, apart from revenue creation for the government, the ministry will help regulate the industry and give practitioners a sense of security.

“There will also be training. For young people who don’t want to go to school, you can use entertainment to teach them skills. What I know now, they don’t teach in any university in this country. For instance, when I step into a hall, I do an acoustic measurement of the amount of sound that will be heard, the capacity of the venue in relation to space, and the safety of the working load of the rig.

‘”Through the ministry, we can have data collection of activities and members. We can issue out an entertainment ID card to members, particularly for up-and-coming artistes who are sometimes lost. We can help them fit into their respective fields because we will have affiliates such as set designing, recording studios, film studios, and so on.”

More important, Jack sees a need for a music bank.
“For instance, if we have recording studios under this ministry in different localities, it is easy for an upcoming artiste to record a song without robbing the bank. All he has to do is intimate the ministry of his intentions, and the ministry will help facilitate his recording, depending on his producer of choice. At the end of the day, the ministry will earn a certain percentage from it. So we have invested in your creativity,” he argued.

According to Jack, distribution of content, health insurance for entertainers, and developing apps to ensure the payment of royalties are some of the issues the ministry will tackle. “If we set up that ministry, it will be a game-changer. We will no longer be dependent on oil,” he concluded.